Yemeni Religious Figure - Terrorist or Spiritual Advisor?

Very little is known about Abdul Majeed Zindani, a Muslim activist in Yemen. Shrouded in secrecy, opinions on Zindani are wide-ranging. Recent claims that he developed a cure for AIDS have critically damaged his international standing. But the cleric still commands power from a far-reaching network of associates, and his recent comments regarding unrest in the Middle East have attracted more scrutiny from the world community. Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that several hundred protestors stormed the US embassy in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, at Zindani's urging. "The cleric with the red beard", as Zindani is known, has since tempered his rhetoric, advocating peaceful protest. US Ambassador to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein, was not convinced, calling Zindani "a supporter of terrorism." With all the uncertainty surrounding cleric and country, one thing can be deduced definitively: Zindani will will play a critical role in international relations in Yemen in the near future.

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Posted by Colin Wescott